The
National Center for State Courts (NCSC), a non-profit organization, was founded
more than 30 years ago to promote organizational and technical innovations in
judicial systems throughout all states in the United States of America and the
world. NCSC is governed by a board of judges, court administrators, and
private sector business people, and serves as the secretariat to almost all
professional organizations serving US court systems.
Viewed as the leader in court
administration, NCSC advanced legal and justice system reforms worldwide
by building upon the best research, practices and court models that
emerged from the U.S. state court system. In 1992, at USAID's behest,
NCSC International was formally established. A dedicated team of
international development professionals that mobilize the organization's vast
resources in providing a full range of technical assistance services around the
world.
NCSC International initially focused its
services exclusively on judicial and court administration. It continues to
draw on the experiences of all types of U.S. courts (trial and appelate level,
general and special jurisdictions courts, such as family violence, drugs, or
problem solving courts) and judicial systems that operate in places as diverse
as Indian reservations, rural counmties and large metropolitan areas, such
as New York City. Recognizing that the U.S. court system may not always
serve as the most appropriate example, NCSC, International has teamed up with
international experts and organizations from other countries and added
successful international models to the pool of knowledge that it shares in
countries around the world.
Early on, NCSC International recognized
that effectiveness court adminstration is just one component of a well
functioning justice system. NCSC International was among the first
providers of holistic justice sector assistance to expand its in-house
capabilities in areas such as anti-corruption, public defense, prosecutorial
procedures, security assistance and human rights.
NCSC International has successfully
implemented programs in more than 30 countries, engaging in comprehensive
projects in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, in
civil and common-law systems, as well as systems based on Shari'a and those
dominated by traditional justice. NCSC International includes
staff from nine different countries and in-house linguistic abilities include
Chinese, French, German, Mongolian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and
Vietnamese.
NCSC International receives funding from USAID, The World Bank,
The Asian Development Bank, the British Department for International Development (DFID), the UNDP, as well as individual governments.
NCSC International is the only Rule of Law (ROL) organization
to be awarded
three consecutive Indefinite Quantity Contracts, (IQC) by USAID and it is the only
NGO among the current IQC holders. NCSC International has gained a solid reputation
for leadership, responsiveness, flexibility, and effectiveness of its
operations.